My veggie fondue came with edamame, artichoke hearts, portobello slices, marinated tofu, asparagus, and two each of spinach-artichoke ravioli and sun-dried tomato. All were quite good, with a choice of five sauces for post-pot dipping: teriyaki (too salty), plum (too sweet), yogurt-curry (just right), Gorgonzola, and green goddess.

Bill's entrée featured teriyaki-marinated sirloin, white shrimp, marinated pork tenderloin, breast of duck, breast of chicken, two large potstickers, broccoli flowerets, and red bliss potato quarters. The latter need to be parboiled for table-side cooking, as they take more than 15 minutes, while everything else cooks in five to 10.

We were too stuffed to consider the dessert fondues, but there are eight possibilities that involve melted milk, dark, or white chocolate and cookies, marshmallows, or nuts. These are served with fresh fruit, cheesecake chunks, Rice Krispies treats, pound cake, and brownies ($15 small, $30 regular).

The Melting Pot has taken the concept of fondue and run with it — and so can you!

Busy options For a place that is largely about performative hibachi dining and Asian kitsch, Kon is very into the Buddha.

Indian Dhaba The phrase “fusion cuisine” inspires dread in me — I’ve been served too many misconceived culinary mash-ups over the years, usually European sauces awkwardly force-fit onto Asian foundations, or vice-versa.

Myung Dong 1st Avenue Myung Dong refers to a high-rent, youth-oriented shopping district in Seoul, thus "1st Avenue" is a kind of evocation of both Fifth Avenue and SoHo. This restaurant has a variety of Japanese and Korean dishes, but the idea is to appeal to a young crowd, more specifically a drinking crowd.

Pairings At breakfast and lunch, Pairings serves as a basic hotel restaurant, which the Park Plaza has lacked for about 10 years.

Fordee's Falafel and Deli I've added a new entry to my growing catalogue of "stupid reasons why I waited too long to try some restaurant": the unlikely name.

Spice You might find it difficult to believe, but at one time there were no Thai restaurants in Providence. I know, I know, it’s sad — no pad Thai, no pik pow sauce, such deprivation, such shamed downward glances in the streets.

2009: The year in dining This was an unusual food year for me, in that the recession did not have the expected effect on the local dining scene.

Taquería Jalisco Exploring a new restaurant is like baseball: sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and sometimes it isn't available. My Taquería Jalisco rainout was a Tuesday, its regular day off.

Midtown Café In this economy and in downtown Wakefield, it's a tough task to keep a restaurant going.

The Regal Beagle The Regal Beagle is making a quick success doing what almost all the new restaurants want to do: small plates; comfort food with a gourmet twist; a mixture of high and low; a bit of locovore, green, and slow fare; some salty fast food; interesting drinks; and scrambled nostalgia.

LIVES ON THE EDGE | July 02, 2014 No one would dispute the fact that Hester Kaplan’s writing is effective and well-crafted, as she digs into the underbelly of American society in her latest book of short stories, ' Unravished .'

EMOTION IN MOTION | April 02, 2014 When Festival Ballet Providence started their in-studio series, “Up Close On Hope,” more than 10 years ago, the vision was to give up-and-coming choreographers and dancers a stage less overwhelming and more intimate on which to find their footing.